Loop-retainer for sewing-machines.



L. ONDERDONK.

LOOP RETAINER FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 19. 1908.

1,137,783. Patented May 4, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

gvwentoz wm m I W L.-0NDERD0NK.

LOOP RETAINER FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 19, I908- Patented May 4, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Q vi in eases LANSING ONDERDONK, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.,ASSIGNOR TO UNION SPECIAL MACHINE COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A GORPOTION 0F ILLINC ES.

specification of Letters Eatent.

Patented May d, 1915.

Application filed February 19, 1908. Serial No. 416,727.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, LANSING ()NDERDONK, acitizen of the United States, residing at New York city, in the'co'untyof New York, State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Loo -R-etainers for Sewing-Machines, of whic thefollowing is a description, reference being bad to the accompanyingdrawing and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

My invention relates to a thread retainer for sewing machines, and moreespecially to a thread retainer adapted'to coiiperate with a threadcarrying looper so as to hold the needle loop back on said looper.

'l he object otmy invention is to provide a loop retainer which shall bedurable and eliicient in operation.

A iurther object of my invention, is to provide a loop retainer which ismounted upon and movable with the looper carrier,

so as to always be held in proper position relative to the looper.

These and other objects will in part be obvious andwill in part behereinafter more fully described.

in the drawings which'show by way of illustration one embodiment oi myinven' tion :Figure 1 is a front elevation of a sewing machine embodyingmy invention, certain parts being broken away for the sake oi?ole'arness. Fig". 2 is a detail view showing the loopcr carrier, thelooper support and the 'loop retainer in side elevation. Fig. 3 is adetail view showing the looper carrier, the looper support, and the loopretainer together with its operating mechanism in top plan view. Fig. 4is an end elevation of the looper carrier and the loop retainer togetherwith its operating mechanism. Fig. 4 is a detail in side elevationshowing the lower part of the retainer and its connection to theoperating eccentric strap therefor. Fig; 5 isa similar view showing themodified form of mechanism for operating the loop retainer. Fig. 6 is atop plan view of the modified form of loop retainer operating mechanism.

'llhebed plate 1 has rising therefrom, the usual overhanging arm 2, onwhich is pivoted a needle lever d, which is oscillated fromthe mainshaft 4i, by a suitable link 5. The needle bar 6, reciprocates in theforward end of the overhang arm in the usual manner and receives itsmovements from the needle lever 3. in the present embodiment of myinvention, l have shown the needle bar as provided with two needles 7and8, which are referably set diagonally to the line of feed Cooperatingwith the needles '7 and 8, are two loopers 9 and 10, which are mountedin a looper carrier 11 in the well known manner. Said looper carrier 11is pivoted to the looper support 12, which is pivotally sup ported bybrackets 13 and 14. Said looper support receives an oscillation from themain shaft 4, by a forked member 15, which engages an eccentric on themain shaft The looper carrier receives an oscillation from the needlelever 3, through'a link 16, which is pivoted to a rock lever 17 mountedin a bracket 18 on the bed plate 1. Said rock lever is connected to theneedle lever extension by a link 19. t

The looper operating mechanism however, forms no part of my presentinvention and it is obvious that any other form of looper operatingmechanism maybe used from that herein described, without in any waydeparting from the spirit of my invention. It will also be obvious, thatinstead of using a plurality of needles and a plurality of loopers, Imay use a single looper and a single needle.

The loop retainers 20 and 21 cotiperate with the loopers 9 and 10respectively. Said loop retainers are mounted in a loop retainer support22, which is secured between proecting lugs 23' formed on the loopercarrier 11, by a pivot bolt 2%. The pivotal connection between thelooper carrier and the retainer support is such that the retainersupport may be moved in a direction laterally of the loopers, but saidretainer support moves with the looper carrier in its oscillation togive the loopers their longitudinal movement. lhe loop retainer supporthas a downward extension 25. An eccentric 26 is secured to the mainshaft 4, at a point adjacent the downward extension 25- of the loopretainer and an eccentric strap 2? which encircles the eccentric 26 isprovided with a ball stud 28, which engages a suitable hearing in thedownward extension 25 of the retainer support.

it will be obvious from the above description, that as the loopercarrier oscillatesback and forth to carry the loopers into the neoalongwith said looper'carrier so that the loop retainers 20 and 21 willmaintain a definite position relative to the loopers so far as theirlongitudinal movement is concerned.

It will also be noted that the connection between the ball stud 28 andthe retainer support 22, is substantially in line with the longitudinalaxis of the pivotal connection between the looper carrier and the loopersupport so that as the looper carrier oscillates abou its pivotalsupport, the loop retainer may oscillate about its connection with theeccentric-strap 27.

As the main shaft rotates, the eccentric .26 will give to said retainersupport an oscillation which will carry the projecting ends of the loopretainer across the upper face of the looper and away from the same.

The eccentric 26, for operating the retainers, is so timed that as theloopers move forward into the needle loops, said retainers are movedaway from the loopers so as to allow said loopers to move freely intothe needle loops. When however, the loopers start on their rearwardmovement, the loop retainers are moved forward across the upper face ofthe loopers and in front of the needle loops, that is between the needleloop on the looper and the point of said looper,

its the loopers are movedbackward the retainer maintains its positionacross the face of the looper and holds the needle loops back on saidloopers, until the needles on their next descent have entered well intothe triangle formed by the looper thread extending from the eye of thelooper to the previous needle puncture as one side of the triangle, thelooper body as the second side of the triangle and the needle looparound the looper body and extending to the previous needle puncture asthe third side of the triangle. After the needles are well down intosaid triangle the loop retainers are moved away from in front of theneedle loops on the loopers, and the needle loops are then allowed toslip forward and be shed from the looper by its continued backwardmovement.

In Figs. 5 and 6, if have shown a diderential mechanism for giving saidretainers their oscillation upon the looper carrier. Said mechanismcomprises an eccentric 29 mounted on the main shaft 4 which has aneccentric strap 30 cocperating therewith.

. The outer end of the eccentric strap 30 is connected to a ball studformed on an arm of the rock lever 40. The opposite end of the rocklever ll) is p ovided with a pivoted stud having upwarc'" ly extendingears 41 and 42. I V

A link as has one end thereoi pivoted be tween the ears t1 and t2, theopposite end is provided with a ball stud 44 engaging the downwardextension 25 of the retainer support 24. As the eccentric 29 oscillates,the lever is rocked. and the pivotal connection between the lever 40 andlink 43 is moved toward and away from a line passing through the pivotalsupport of the rock lever and the pivotal connection of the link 43 andthe retainer support. It will there fore, be seen that the movementimparted to the retainer through this mechanism is a differentialmovement, that is a movement which is relatively quick across the upperface of the looper into position to retain the needle loop with arelatively slow movement of the retainer, when moved away from thelooper with a dwell if desired, at this end of the stroke of theretainer.

The looper must be properly set so as to coiiperate with the needle asit moves forward into the needle loop. It often happens in the course ofconstruction, that the body of the looper varies slightly in thicknessand owing to the fact as above noted, that the looper must necessarilybe 'set in a definite position relative to the needle, some meansextraordinary thick looper should be placed in the machine.

As a means for adjusting the throw of the retainer, I have provided thedownwardly projecting portion of the loop retainer carrier, with anenlarged slotted'end, as shown in Figs. 4: and 4 Located in said slottedend, is a block 25*, which receives the ball stud 28. A screw 25 passingthrough the ends of the extension 25 of the retainer, serves to clampthe block 25 in adjusted positions.

When it is desired to give the looper a little greater throw, the block25 is adjusted in a direction toward the axis of the loop retainer. Thisadjustment shortens the leverage and conveys to the retainer, a greaterthrow. 0n the other hand, if the block 25 be adjusted away from thepivotal support of the retainer, the stroke of the retainer will beshortened. ltwill thus be seen, that bring vthe retainer into properposition across the upper face of the looper, for holding the needleloop back on the looper.

As a means for changing the timingof the loop retainer relative to thelooper so that said retainer will be moved across the upper face of thelooper at the proper time and also release the needle loopat the propertime, l have mounted the eccentric 26 on a sleeve 26', which issecured-to the main shaft 4 by a set screw t.

will be apparent that if the set screw 12S d collar 26 shifted, the

eccentric 26 may be shifted on the main shaft so as to change the timingof the retainer relative to the looper.

Having thus particularly described my invention, what I claim as new anddesire to Secure by Letters Patent is 1. The combination with a needle,a looper and means for operating the same, of a loop retainer and meansfor moving said loop retainer forward and back in unison with thelooper, and devices for giving thereto a movement across the upper faceof said looper at a distance back of the point thereof for engaging theneedle loop and holding the same back on the looper.

2. The combination with a needle, a looper, a looper carrier and meansfor operating the same, of a retainer mounted on said looper carrier tomove therewith and means for oscillating said loop retainer across theupper face of said looper at a distance back of the point thereof.

3. The combination with a needle, a looper, a looper carrier and meansfor operating the same, of a loop retainer pivoted to said loopercarrier and means for oscillating said loop retainer across the face ofsaid looper at a distance back of the point thereof.

4. The combination with a needle, a looper, a looper carrier and meansfor operating the same, of a loop retainer pivoted between spacedlugs,-form ed on said looper carrier and means for oscillating said loopretainer.

5. The combination with a. needle, a looper, a looper carrier and meansfor operating the same, of a loop retainer oscillating back'and forthwith said looper carrier and means for oscillating said loop retainer,the connection between the loop retainer and its operating means beingsubstantially in line with the pivotal support ofithe looper 'carrier.

6. The combination with a needle, a looper, a looper carrier and meansfor operating the same, of a loop retainer pivoted to said loopercarrier and having a downward extension, an eccentric and devicesbetween said eccentric and said downward extension for oscillating saidloop retainer.

7. The combination with a needle, a looper, a looper carrier and meansfor operating the same, of a loop retainer pivoted to said loopercarrier and having a downwardextension, an eccentric, and devicesbetween said eccentric and said downward extension for oscillating saidloop retainer, said devices including means for giving to said loopretainer a differential movement.

8. The combination with a needle, a looper, a looper carrier and meansfor operating the same, of aretamer mountedon the looper carrier, andmeans for moving said loop retainer quickly forward and back across theupper face of the looper at a distance back of the point thereof forengaging themeedle loop and holding the same well back on the looper andgiving thereto an ex tended dwell in its retracted position.

9. The combination with a needle, a looper and means for operating thesame, of a loop retainer moving back and forth in unison with saidlooper and means for moving said loop retainer across the upper face ofthe looper, said means comprising devices for giving said loop retainera forward and backward movement. across said looper with a dwell in itsretracted position said rctainer crossing the looper at a distance backof the point thereof for engaging the needle loop, and holding the samewell back on the looper.

10. Thecombination with a needle, of a looper, a looper carrier andmeans for oscillating the same, a loop retainer pivoted on said loopercarrier, a rock lever, an eccentric for operating said rock lever and alink connecting one end of said rock lever to the loop retainer, wherebysaid loop retainer is given a quick-forward and back movement with adwell in its retracted position.

11. The combination with a needle, alooper, a looper carrier, means foroperating the same, of a retainer, means for moving said retainerforward and back with the looper, means for moving said looper retainerquickly forward and back across the upper face of the looper and givingthereto a dwell in its forward position, whereby the needle loop is heldback on said looper until the needle is well down into the triangleformed by the needle loop, the looper thread and the side of the looper.

12. The combination of a needle, a looper and means for operating thesame, of a loop retainer means for moving said retainer forward and backwith the looper and means for giving said loop retainer a variable speedwhereby it is moved quickly forward and back and given a dwell in itsforward position to hold the-needle loop back on the looper until theneedle is well down into the triangle formed by the needle loop, thelooper thread, and the side of the looper.

13. The combination with a needle, a looper and means for operating saidlooper, a loop retainer, means for moving said loop retainer forward andback in unison with the looper, said loop retainer being located abovethe looper, and means for moving said loop retainer in a direction atright angles to the path of movement of the looper and across the faceofsaidloopewat a distance back of the point thereof.

14. The combination with a needle, a looper, a looper carrier, means foroperating the looper carrier, .a retainer mounted on said looper carrierand partaking of the movements thereof, and, independent means forgiving said retainer a movement in a plane at right angles to the pathof travel,

of the looper carrier'on which it is mounted and across the face of thelooper at a distance back of the point thereof,

15. The combination with a needle, a looper, a looper carrier, means foroperating the same, of a retainer mounted on sai looper carrier to movetherewith, means for giving said retainer a dilferential speed and throwof said retainer, and means for varying the time of movement of saidretainer relative to said looper.

18. The combination with a needle, a

' looper, a looper carrier, means for operating the same, a loopretainer mounted on said -looper earner, an eccentnc for operating saidretainer and means whereby the connection between said eccentric andsaid retainer may be adjusted, so as to vary the throw of said retainer.7

19. The combination with a looper, a looper carrier, a loop retainermounted on said 100 er carrier, said loop retainer having a slotteextension, a sliding block mounted in said slotted extension, means forsecuring said sliding block in adjusted positions, and an eccentrichaving a connection with said sliding block.

20. The combination with a looper, a looper carrier, a loop retainermounted on said looper carrier, said loop retainer having a slottedextension, a sliding block mounted in said slotted extension, means forsecuring said sliding block in adjusted positions, and an eccentrichaving a connection with said sliding block, and means for adjusting theposition of said eccentric on-its supporting shaft.

7 In testimony whereof I aflix my signature, in presence of twowitnesses.

, LANSING ()NDERDONK. Witnesses:

R. S. OswALD, WALTER HARTLEY.

